Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-06-23
OUR STATE SOLONS.
What They are Doing for the People.

The house concurrent resolution fixing
| the date of ad ournment on June ID and
the final al journment on June Is. which
passed the house in the early part OF last
week, was taken from the table on motion
of Senator j. w. Babcock. After some
discussion in which all appeared anxious
to adjourn as soon as possible the resolu-
tion was amended fixing the date of ad
ournment on Friday, June "A, and the
final adjournment on Wednesday, June 30.
The house upon reconvening on Monday
agreed to the resolution as amended by
the senate, and at noon on the date fixed
the legislature will not transact any more
business for two years to come.
lie bill of Representing Bettinger fixing
the salaries of the members of the Detroit
board of aldermen at So per annum each
also passed the senate without a dissenting
veto. The people are to vote on the ques
tioS at the next election.
The Lansing Journal has thrown bomb
shell into the legislative camp charging
the present legislature with being the
most corrupt that has at in yours.
On the sub ect of bills affecting railro I'd
corporations the JOHr1,a says; "Ihe pro
posed legislation against railroads has
been productive only of Doodle. The or
poratIon lobbyists have got in their work
per istently and well. IL is contidentia!ly
stated among the members that one rep
resentative was privately retain ed by the
railroads at $1,000 Tor the SEES ion. Most
of them think there was a consideration
but that $1,000 was not the figure, as il is
considered more than his services we're
worth, much as he has tried to earn his
Doodle salary.
1t charges that in the Alma fight m oney
was used wherever needed, systematically
and successfully: traces an intimate con
nection between a suit of clothes which
was presented a member and his vote o 1
the Que ton, and says that an Alma lob
byist attempted to give prominent state
official IA so gold pen, but that the at
tempted gift was spurned.
The senatorial election is characterized
as one of the most dsgraceful acts of the
legislative session, and that bride givers
and bride takers were about equally di-
vided, and closes a terribly caustic and
scathing arraignment of the members by
the statement that it cost Co. Stockbridge
fully $4,000 to secure his election.
So we'll has the journal made out the
case, that the existence of bribery is no
longer idle rumor, but a well established
fact. The Journal does not give names,
but the parties can be easily identified.
The governor has approved the bills pro
viding for additional! fire projection at
the soldiers home ana prohibiting the
sale or gilt Of any spirituous malt or win
Gus liquors or other intoxicants TO the in
mates of the home.
The senate has passed the liquor tax bill
by vote of 81 to |. The bill as passed fixes
the tax on the business of selling beer or
liquors at retail at : % a year, whole ale
| eer dealers, 500; wholesale liquor de lers
$500; wholesale and tail liquor dealers,
! o.: brewers So. Half the tax is to 60
m IA tnn Il "a
Lreach of the peace to keep saloons open
or sell liquor on Sundays or other DAYS
forbidden, and the prOprietors for so do
ing are subject TO summary arrests with
out warrant. The amendment limiting
county treasu er,' fees TO an amount not
exceeding $50 was struck out, and they
are to receive one per cent. OF the amount
of tax paid. Stringent regulations for the
orderly conduct of saloons are contained
in the bill.
The employers liability BILL" which
has passed the house is being considered
by the senate judiciary committee.
The bill providing for the appointment
of a state marshall was defeated in the
senate. The vote was reconsidered and
the bill tabled, but 1t is not all likely that
IL will be heard of again at this session.
The house is almost out Of business and
ready TO adjourn. Inc senate VIII catcn
up rapidly now that the most important
matters are out of the way, and the date
of final adjournment is likely to lie fixed
for the 18th.
Deputy Railroad Commissioner Ransom
furnishes the following general exhibit of
the traffic operation of Michigan railroads
for the year ending December 81, 1856, as
will appear in the following report of the
commits, Toner of railroads for 1887:
Total operating revenues Us
companies .'............... $3.50, $50 20
Total operating expenses and
taxes, o. companies........ 54,215,645 So
Net surplus ................ 29,GS2, GA GA
Disbursements from net in
income: Interest
on funded debt Sl4,5 PSI 81
Interest on the
unfunded debt 3oS 6S1 So